This invention relates to adjustable systems for controlling the transport of rows of moving articles. More particularly, the invention is directed to adjustable guide and transport systems, such as lane guide and grid packing apparatus for transferring a plurality of rows of articles such as filled or unfilled product containers, which systems may be readily adjusted to process articles of different size.
In the manufacture and handling of large quantities of articles of uniform size such as product containers, barbecue sauce or pourable dressing bottles, the articles are conventionally conveyed automatically through various processing operations such as provided by product filling apparatus, as well as container capping, labeling and packing systems. The product containers or other articles are conventionally transported in a uniform and stable handling position, on a moving belt or conveyor in a plurality of rows established by lane guide assemblies. The lane guide assemblies form lanes generally having a width only slightly larger than the maximum article width, for the article width dimension perpendicular to product flow at the point of lane guide support.
Upon completion of the manufacturing or processing steps, the lane-guided rows of articles, such as filled, capped and labeled food product containers, may be conventionally transported to a grid packing assembly which selects and packs a two-dimensional array of the articles in a suitable square or rectangular-celled carton or other container for storage, handling and shipment.
The lane guides are conventionally provided in the form of vertically oriented guide plates which are supported at predetermined support locations along horizontal supports rods. When it is necessary to change the lane width, to adjust the lane guide assembly for proper product flow, or to convert the lane guide assembly for use with a different sized product, the lane guide supporting fasteners are typically loosened or disassembled with each of the lane guides subsequently being manually positioned to accommodate the desired product width along the respective lanes, and the support assemblies subsequently being reassembled. Similarly, conventional grid packing assemblies are constructed to accommodate only a single product dimension, or a relatively narrow range of product dimensions. It would be desirable to provide an adjustable grid packer system which could accommodate and package a wide range of product sizes. It would also be desirable to provide a unified lane guide processing and packaging system comprising a lane guided transport system and a grid packing system which is adjustable to accommodate the manufacture and packaging of articles of different shape or size.
These and other objects of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings.